Jamshedpur has witnessed 231 dengue positive cases this year so far till October 14 after the confirmatory Elisa test done at the MGM Medical College Hospital in Dimna. Significantly, there were nearly 556 cases of dengue in 2017 in Jamshedpur and its outskirt with four casualty which was reduced to 69 and two casualty in 2018 due to massive awareness campaign and surveillance program.
“Dengue cases has been confined primarily in city areas. We have got over 1 lakh leaflets and have started distribution to create awareness on steps which should be taken to prevent breeding of dengue mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti),” said East Singhbhum district malaria officer and nodal officer of National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP), Dr A. K Lal.
The leaflets informs on need of maintaining cleanliness in and around houses, eradicating unused containers which can lead to water accumulation and be a potential breeding spot for mosquitoes, periodically clean water tanks, coolers, refrigerator and pots, put lower portion of the body covered, periodically clean dark places in the houses. The leaflets have been distributed to all the 235 sub health centers, nine community health centers, 18 public health centers. “We are also putting our staff for distribution near schools, factories and market areas. Our objective is to target maximum number of people in shortest possible time with our limited resources,” added Dr Lal.
Meanwhile, the district health department also reviewed the progress of drive against dengue . Most of the abandoned houses in company areas have also been searched and unused containers destroyed along with spraying of larvicides. The department which earlier used to only spray larvicidal apart from undertaking cleanliness exercise will be opting for destroying unused containers (identified vector breeding centers) in the affected areas and educating people on not allowing water to stagnate in residential areas.“As per latest directive we have asked our men to carry out fogging exercise in the affected areas of Sakchi, Jugsalai and Mango with focus on identifying and destroying unused containers storing waters in houses and localities and educating locals about steps to prevent breeding of dengue vectors,” said the official.
This exercise would be held simultaneously with routine methods of spraying larvicidal in the area.
"We need to understand that mosquitoes that carry the virus of dengue do not come from outside, rather they generate from the household things like flower-pots, coolers water, rejected tyre kept on the roof top or in the corner of the garden. So we must ensure that there is no such place where water is stagnant for sometime," said an official.
He said that the administration has launched a special drive to create awareness on dengue and the Health Department will monitor the onset of the disease.
